


To Kill A Magpie

by venatori



Category: Journey into Mystery, Loki: Agent of Asgard, Thor (Movies), Young Avengers
Genre: Alternate Universes, Dimension Travel, Gen, Loki-centric, M/M, Yup it's a crossover, gender fluid Loki, it doesn't matter too much if you have not read the comics or have not seen the movies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-04
Updated: 2015-04-13
Packaged: 2018-03-21 03:02:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3674997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/venatori/pseuds/venatori
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A reincarnated version of Loki in an alternate universe, one that wants to be good, has come up with a plan to stop all the evil Lokis in the multiverse. Unfortunately, he needs to do some dimension hopping to do it. He needs to go to a universe where Asgard, Thor and company were perhaps not the same. Events are shifted and when you have two universes colliding, you know shit's about to hit the fan. Good think he knows a pro reality warper.</p><p>Or, the one where AOA Loki trades places with MCU Loki</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Wiccan

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to Hannah for being an awesome beta and Nicole for helping me write that summary.

** Prologue **

 

Billy has not heard from Loki since the day he disappeared, after the parasite was defeated and it was discovered that Loki was the source of all the weird ex-lover clones. He wasn’t entirely sure what that was all about, but he did know that he didn’t approve of how the others handled the situation at all. 

The others didn’t bother telling him the details of what happened, only telling him that Loki was a “lying bastard” that had somehow conjured replicas of their exes and has been the source of all their troubles all along.

But Billy did not believe that for a second. Sure, Loki messed up, but then again so had Billy. He was just as much to blame for that mess as Loki was, since he was the one who pulled the parasite from that alternate dimension to begin with, despite his better judgement and without even considering the consequences, because he wanted to do something nice for his boyfriend and accidentally brought something horrifying into their world.

And yet Loki was the one they turned on, even though he had saved their lives, especially Billy’s, more than once. Loki was the one that shoved the gun out of Billy’s hands. Loki was the one that gave Billy the shove he needed whenever he was uncertain but never pushed Billy beyond what he was willing to do. Loki was his friend and his mentor and he did not deserve the hand he was dealt.

He was one of them and the Young Avengers were a family, no matter what. All of them have messed up before, what made Loki any different? What was it about Loki that made them all distrust him so much?

Truthfully, Billy did not feel betrayed by Loki. Granted, Billy wasn’t really there for most of the fight because he was too busy being in a god-like trance or something and apparently he was the Demiurge (whatever that meant), a being that is _worshipped as a deity throughout the multiverse_ (he still has not wrapped his head around that part either and whenever he tries he ends up sounding a bit hysterical so he tries not to dwell on it.). But he believed, truly believed, that Loki had no idea what was happening, that he did not mean for any of that to happen.

Because Billy knows that, in his heart of hearts, Loki truly wanted to be good.

It was on a rainy night many months after he disappeared that Billy met Loki again. Teddy had gone out to grab some take out from a Korean restaurant a few blocks away and Billy was alone when there was a knock at the door. He thought that Teddy had forgotten his keys or his umbrella, so imagine his surprise when it wasn’t six feet of sheepish blond boyfriend at his door, but a soaking wet reincarnated god that bore a remarkable resemblance, in that moment, to a kicked puppy.

“Loki?”

Loki attempted a smile but it ended up looking more like a grimace. 

“Hey, Billy.” He greeted, and his voice was so small, so uncertain, that Billy failed to hold back the urge to pull his friend into a hug.

“Where the hell have you been?” He hissed into Loki’s wet hair, ignoring the rainwater soaking into his own clothes.

He could feel Loki hesitate, unsure of what to do, and Billy felt his heart clench and his arms tighten around his friend at the reminder that this Loki had little experience with affection and plenty of experience with distrust and abuse.

“Saving the world.” Loki replied with his usual mischief, finally raising his arms to awkwardly return the embrace.

Billy pulled away slightly, just far enough to get a look at his friend’s face, “Once a superhero, always a superhero, right?” He teased.

Loki chuckled, “Indeed.”

“Come on in,” He pulled Loki into the apartment, kicking the door shut with his foot, “I’ll get you a towel.”

Billy wrapped Loki up in the biggest towel he could find (one of Teddy’s) and after quickly brewing some hot tea (magic may or may not have been involved), he joined Loki on the living room couch near the window, where the sound of rain battering at the glass was loud enough to almost drown out the murmur of the TV in the background.

He handed the god a mug full of tea and Loki took it, thanking him before he asked, “Where’s Teddy?”

“Don’t worry, we’re still together. He went out to get some take out.”

Loki looked relieved but Billy could not tell if it was because Teddy was not there or because they were still together, “It’s good to hear that he’s well.”

“So.” Billy began as Loki took his first sip of his tea, “To what do I owe the visit?”

Loki looked down at his mug and took a deep breath. Billy saw how his shoulders squared before he spoke, “First, I wanted to apologize for what happened before I left. I did not mean for any of that to happen-”

“I know.” Billy interjected.

Loki’s wide eyes, a vivid green even in the dimly lit room, snapped up to meet his, “You do?”

Billy shrugged, taking a sip from his own mug and making a face at how bitter it was. He had forgotten to put sugar in it. “Yeah. The others might not agree as much but I know you better than they do. You wouldn’t screw us over like that unless you didn’t know you were doing it.”

Loki let out a strangled laugh and his eyes dropped to his mug again, “You do not know me at all then.”

“Bullshit.” Billy snapped, startling the god into looking back up at him, “I know you, Loki. You’re not that much of an asshole. That older Loki? The one before you? He is fully capable of pulling a stunt like that. But _you_?” Billy smiled, giving Loki’s shoulder a light shove, “You’re one of the good guys.”

Loki scoffed, smirking even as his eyes were wet, “Don’t let Miss Chavez hear you say that,” He joked weakly, “She might just punch you.”

Billy snorted, “I doubt it.” He leaned back into the sofa cushion, lifting his legs to rest his feet on the coffee table, “So what was the second thing?”

Loki sobered, his half smile disappearing, “I need your help, Billy.”

Billy tensed, dropping his feet back to the floor and sitting up attentively, “With what?”

The god placed his mug on the coffee table and, almost casually, dropped a bomb shell, “I ran into that older Loki you mentioned.” 

“ _What_?”

Loki sighed, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees, one hand running through his damp hair, “I’ve been doing missions for the All-Mother. They said that they would help me wipe away the misdeeds of my former self, one mission at a time.”

Loki raised his head to look at Billy again, grim faced, “But they lied. I’m not certain what it is they’re planning, but they have somehow summoned the original Loki.”

Billy slammed the mug unto the table with more force than was necessary. The light from the lamp in the corner flickered and the murmur of TV cut off into static abruptly. It was when Loki sat up, eyeing him warily, that Billy realized that his magic was leaking. He took a fortifying breath and reigned in his stray magic, just like Loki taught him, and the hum of the TV returned, the light stabilizing.

“Sorry.” Billy apologized, feeling a bit pleased when Loki visibly relaxed, “Why the _hell_ would they do _that_?”

“It doesn’t matter.” Loki told him with a shake of his head, “What matters is that I think I found a way to get rid of him, but it requires a very specific Grimoire.”

Billy briefly considered pressing Loki for answers. He knew it would be fruitless though, so instead, he nodded his head slowly and said, “Okay. Cool. So you want backup while you go get this Grimoire from wherever it is?”

Loki shook his head again, more violently this time, “No,” He said firmly, “I’ll be doing this alone.”

Billy’s brow furrowed in confusion, “Then what do you need my help for?”

“The Grimoire I need does not exist anymore.” Loki explained almost urgently, his hands gesticulating wildly, “It used to be in a library in Asgard, but there was an...incident and part of the library was destroyed. I need you to send me to another universe where that library was never damaged. If I can get my hands on that Grimoire then maybe I can stop the slippery bastard before he does anything.”

Billy blinked, pausing to absorb the information and silently appreciate that a norse god was asking him to use his superpowers to send him to an alternate universe so he can stop the original, villainous version of himself from possibly causing a catastrophic disaster. Was his life even real? 

_Don’t go down that road, Billy._

Loki leaned forward and placed a hand on his shoulder, shaking him out of his musings, “Will you help me, Billy?” He asked softly, “If you don’t want to, I can find another way.”

“No!” He blurted impulsively, “No, I’ll help you.”

“Thank you.” He said earnestly, guilelessly, and if Billy needed convincing, that genuine gratitude would have done it.

“You’re welcome.” He replied with an amused huff, “So, when do you need me to do it?”

“Now would be preferable.” Loki told him succinctly.

“Now? Seriously?”

“Yup.” He confirmed in a drawl, ending the word with a popping sound.

Billy laughed, “Unbelievable. Okay.” He stood and Loki followed, dropping the damp towel onto the couch, “Are you ready?”

“Whenever you are.”

“Okay.” Billy agreed, pulling Loki into another quick hug, “Be careful.”

“I will.” Loki whispered back before pulling away.

Billy took a step back and began to chant, his fingers splayed, hands glowing bright enough to light up the room with cool white light, “ _IWantToSendLokiToTheGrimoire. IWantToSendLokiToTheGrimoire. IWantToSendLokiToTheGrimoire._ ”

The light began to flicker again, the television switching between on, off and static. As Loki began to dissolve, the particles of his body dispersing, Loki smiled a warm, fond smile, “Thank you, Billy.”

Billy managed a small smile in return and nodded, accepting the gratitude, still chanting.

When Loki was gone, Billy breathed and dropped his hands to his sides, silently wishing his friend good luck.

There was a jingling of keys and the sound of a key in the door before the door swung open to reveal the blond boyfriend he was expecting before, takeout bag in hand.

“Hey!” Teddy greeted, sounding a little out of breath.

Suspicious, Billy stepped closer, noticing a few tears in his boyfriend’s shirt and the frayed edges of his jeans as he did so.

“Ted?”

“Yeah?” Teddy replied with feigned innocence.

“Why are your clothes ripped?”

“Uuuuuuh...” Teddy’s hand went up to ruffle the short hair at his nape sheepishly, “I may have ran into some muggers giving some people a hard time and I may have hulked out a little.”

Billy’s shoulders quivering with suppressed laughter, he stepped up to his boyfriend and gently took the take out back from his hand, rising on his tip toes to place a kiss on his cheek, “You’re such a dork.”

Teddy beamed at him, “But I’m _your_ dork.”

“True.” Billy agreed, grinning back at his boyfriend.

Teddy's eyes suddenly widened, looked over his shoulder into the living room, “Why is the lamp sparking?”

Billy spun around just in time to see the lamp combust, “Oh shit!” His hands flew up, glowing and stretched towards the burning lamp, “ _I want to put the fire out. I want to put the fire out._ ”

The fire sputtered and died before the fire alarm could go off. He breathed a sigh of relief as Teddy wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

“Something you wanna tell me?”

"Alright, fine. It's our secret though, okay? Not a word of this to America or David."

"...Okay?"

 

* * *

 

Loki jolted awake with a gasp. He sat up in the unfamiliar bed, looked around himself at the equally unfamiliar room. He did not recognize where he was but he recognized the Asgardian decor and the overuse of green, gold and black and the large, open balconies overlooking a familiar place. Looking down at his hands, slightly larger than his own usually were, he laughed giddily.

“He did it!”

He let himself fall back into the bed, still laughing, high on relief.

“May the Norns bless your pretty face, Billy Kaplan!” He crowed.


	2. Nailed it. Or maybe not.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki learns more about the Loki he replaced and meets some familiar people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Hannah again :)

After several minutes of hysterical laughter, Loki took the time to wonder what it was that Billy had done, exactly.

These are the facts:

One: Loki was in Asgard. Two: This Asgard was decidedly not the same as the Asgard he knew. Three: He was not in his own body, but in what he assumed was the body of the Loki that exists in this universe.

Conclusion: Wiccan did not think his spell through and thus, as per usual, things went awry.

It was quite possible that Billy had not considered the fact that this universe had its own Loki and the spell interpreted Billy’s wish as ‘Take this Loki to a world with a Grimoire and if there’s already a Loki then replace him. There can be only one.’

He really should have had a chat with Billy about variables.

“ _You’ve killed another version of yourself. Another crime that cannot be forgiven._ ” A voice whispered in his mind, one that haunts him every waking moment.

Loki ignored the voice, roughly throwing the bed sheets off his body. He attempted to get out of bed and promptly fell face first off the mattress in a graceless heap, his body’s new proportions throwing him off. 

“Ow.” He groaned into the marble floor.

But Loki was nothing if not adaptable, so he tried again and this time, carefully, he managed to stand. He slowly paced around his new chambers, quickly adjusting to the new body while studying his surroundings.

The lavish decor and the view from the balcony told him that the chambers he was in were in the heart of Asgard, in the Palace, and therefore, the Loki from this universe was still in Asgard’s good graces. The weapons that were mounted on the wall told him that he was still concerned with proving himself in battle, something that Loki never saw the need to do since everyone had already hated him when he came into being. 

This Loki was clearly a bibliophile, judging by the number of books littering his chambers, something they both had in common. Albeit Loki liked to surf the internet and watch Game of Thrones. Yet it was useless to make assumptions about an alternate universe -- who knows? Perhaps they shared the same taste in things despite the differences.

He immediately amended that last thought when he finally spotted a familiar helmet with long, curling horns resting on a table. He sneered in disgust, marched over to it with surprising speed considering that he had only inhabited that body for barely ten minutes, grabbed it by the horn and hurled it out of the balcony. 

With that business done, Loki ran a hand through his hair -- hair that was shorter than usual and still held traces of whatever it was that was probably used to slick it back, another trait unique to the Loki of this world-- and pondered his next move.

Now that he had essentially taken this Loki’s place in the universe, he needed to make sure he found the Grimoire as quickly as he could without interference. This would most likely require him to blend in just long enough to find it. 

The problem with that, however, is that he had no clue what to expect. Alternate Universes could be incredibly similar or drastically different, the time he spent hopping dimensions with the Young Avengers had taught him that. Loki -- all Lokis -- were creatures of chaos, and there was no way to guess what kind of person this Loki was.

He would need to know whether or not this Loki knew he was a Jotun and what his relationship with Asgard’s royal family was. Was he friends with Thor, Sif and the Warriors Three or were they the same bullies in his memories? If he was friends with them, he would need to be careful, lest they believe he was possessed (and would that not be ironic?) or worse, try to save him... If he was not on friendly terms with them then he could probably avoid them altogether and leave more time for research. Did Odin and Frigga adopt him or was he here as a royal hostage? Was this Loki a hero or secretly villain?

Most importantly, does this universe have the Grimoire he needed, or not?

Loki searched his new chambers for anything that might provide him with more information, but all he found were irrelevant books. So, he decided, the only way to get any more clues would be to venture out into the halls and find out.

But first, he needed to change out of his sleeping clothes. A quick look through the wardrobe showed that at least this Loki had a better fashion sense the one in his universe did, ugly cow helmets notwithstanding. 

He changed into what he considered casual black leather armour, lined with green cloth and silver embellishments and left the impractical green cape in the wardrobe. Next, he ran his hand through his hair again, this time using a bit of magic to clean the mystery hair product out, leaving his hair loose to frame his face the way he preferred. Finally, He pulled on a pair of boots and exited the room.

Generally, the layout of Asgard’s palace seemed to be the same in all universes, a fact that Loki found both fascinating and hilarious. You would think that, at some point, in some universe, someone -- maybe Thor’s great grandfather or something -- would have said ‘You know what? it would be great if we added a storage room here.’ or ‘How about adding a new set of rooms for visiting Vanir officials?’ but that never seemed to be the case. Creativity was not in a true Aesir’s vocabulary.

He found his way to the dining hall in record time and stopped just outside the archway to assess the situation. 

The hall was full of jovial Aesir and Loki almost groaned. Odin All-Father’s presence was unmistakable, seated at the high table near the back of the room with a very shiny silver eyepatch and Queen Frigga sitting on his right. On his left was Thor, who was laughing obnoxiously -- loud enough to be heard over the other obnoxious Aesir even at this distance -- at something Volstagg was saying from two seats away. With the rest of the Warriors Three and Sif seated at the table as well, there was only one empty seat left at the table, one beside Frigga.

That seat was probably meant for him, but he took a moment to prepare an excuse, just in case he was wrong. He took a deep breath, lifted his chin and made his way to the empty seat as gracefully as he could.

He slowed as he reached the table, waiting for an indication of whether or not he was welcome there. 

He was a bit worried when Thor blinked at the sight of Loki, seemingly taken aback, and Loki wondered if there was something on his face. Thor recovered, however, and grinned  Loki relaxed slightly just as Thor boomed, “Brother!” Oh, so he was adopted then. “You just missed a very humorous tale, you must hear it!” And by the looks of things he was on friendly terms with Thor at least.

“What tale might that be, Thor?” He inquired smoothly, taking a seat beside the queen.

“Hilda played a rather ingenious practical joke on her brother!” Volstagg told him cheerfully, much too cheerfully for breakfast in Loki’s opinion. Hilda was one of Volstagg’s many children and one of the few that Loki can actually recall. At least this Volstagg seems to like him well enough. “I think you would appreciate it, Loki!”

Loki was suddenly aware of Queen Frigga leaning into his personal space. She placed a gentle hand on his, and Loki had to stifle the urge to flinch. “Are you alright, my dear?” She murmured quietly to him, “You look a bit pale.”

Loki almost snorted at the observation, knowing that he was always pale, but that would have been rude.

“I am fine, my queen.” He assured her. He had considered calling her mother but he honestly could not bring himself to say the word. It was too weird.

The queen frowned and Loki knew he needed to change the subject, so he turned to Volstagg.

“Tell me this humorous tale of yours.” he requested, and Volstagg beamed.

The story was a long one, but admittedly, quite hilarious. Loki had finished his breakfast half an hour before Volstagg finished his story. He laughed on cue and threw in a few of his usual catty comments, making sure to leave out any pop culture references he would have normally used and then beat a hasty retreat as soon as the story was over, excusing himself politely and sweeping out of the hall, making a beeline for the library.

All in all, he was fairly certain that he nailed his performance.

He never saw the strange looks they gave him as he left the hall.


	3. Three in One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki meets Loki.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone is unsure about the timeline, this fic is set just after Loki: Agent of Asgard #5 and a few months before Thor's coronation in the Thor movie.
> 
> I have also decided that this story will have no pairings except the canon ones in the background, unless the relationships between the characters evolve in a way that a pairing seems natural. I don't want to force myself to write a romance because it might come across as stiff and awkward so I'm keeping it gen for now. We'll see what happens.
> 
> As always, thanks to Hannah for being an awesome beta.

Loki spent a long time in the library, going through shelf after shelf of books. He scanned the spines carefully and pulled volumes out to check behind them in case the Grimoire was ferreted away somewhere. He climbed the towering bookcases, holding on precariously to check the top shelves and almost suffocated himself on the thick dust that covered everything.

Loki wondered why the Aesir even had a library. From the amount of undisturbed dust and cobwebs on the books, it looked like they had not been touched for centuries, if not millennia. All this knowledge at their fingertips, and they never bothered to seek it.

What a waste.

The only parts that seemed to have been visited often were some sections on magic, history and culture. They were less dusty and some books seemed to be missing. Loki deduced, from the books he had found in his chambers, that it was Loki that frequented them. Not surprising.

He did not notice the passage of time. He did not register his fatigue or his hunger, he was so absorbed in his search. Sometimes, he would find a tome that would distract him, and he would sit and read a few hundred pages before remembering why he was there and forcing himself to put the book aside to continue scouring the library.

Loki was not aware of how much time had passed, until the heavy doors to the library groaned open. He had climbed up near the top of a book case, hanging on with one hand while the other was pulling a large volume forward for him to look behind. He startled at the noise that disturbed the still silence and almost lost his balance, causing him to drop the book in order to steady himself.

The book fell to the floor with a loud thud, sending the thick layers of dust up in a great cloud. Loki coughed as some of the dust reached him -- rather impressive considering the height of the book shelf he was hanging on to. 

He heard footsteps hurrying in his direction and he knew who it was before he came into view.

“Loki, are you alright? Where are you?” Thor’s voice boomed from bellow, loud and out of place in the quiet library. The god of thunder paused to stare at the heavy tome on the floor.

“Up here.” 

Thor finally looked up. His golden eyebrows shot up near his hairline. He looked so young, so much younger than the Thor of his world. “What are you doing up there, brother?”

Loki sighed, “What does it look like I am doing, Thor.”

He climbed down a few shelves before letting himself drop. He landed lightly beside Thor.

“You have been absent for quite some time, brother.” Thor informed him as he brushed the dust off of his clothes, “You have not joined us for meals and no one has seen you in four days.”

Loki’s eyes widened, “Four days? Has it really been that long?”

He was suddenly aware of how tired he was. He was hungry too, but he was more weary than he was hungry.

Thor was giving him an odd look, a mixture of concern and suspicion. 

Always the suspicion...

“Truthfully, Loki, are you well?” Thor asked him, frowning.

No, he was not. He has not been for a long time.

“ _Whose fault is that?_ ” The spectre whispered to him. Loki felt a pang of pain and regret at the reminder, but he ignored it.

“I am fine.” He lied, forcing a pleasant smile on his face, “I simply lost track of time. In fact, I believe I will return to my chambers and sleep. I am suddenly very tired.”

Thor’s frown deepened, “You will not eat first?”

Loki bent to pick up the book off the floor and gingerly stuffed it into a shelf. “I will eat tomorrow.” He said, lightly patting Thor on a bulging bicep before brushing passed him, “I will see you then.”

He quickly left the library before he had to answer any more questions, but he told himself he would return after a good night’s sleep. Despite the four days he spent there, he had only gone through a quarter of the library.

When he arrived at his chambers, he took a quick bath that made him miss the convenience of Midgardian showers and fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.

But his sleep was not peaceful.

He was met with shouting as soon as he was in a dreamscape. The racket came from another version of himself that was chained to the dark stone of the ground. He was screaming and thrashing, much like any caged animal.

For a moment, Loki was confused. This was not a memory of his or the boy he replaced so many months ago. And if it was a nightmare, would he not be the one that was chained?

“He is the Loki you are possessing, you numbskull.” The spectre taunted, materializing beside him.

_ Oh. _

Billy’s spell did not replace him with the Loki of this universe, it confined the other Loki within his own mind and gave him the reigns of his body.

Loki scowled down at the spectre, the younger iteration of himself that he had replaced. “You knew.”

The child smiled wickedly, “I did.”

“You lied to me. You said that I killed him.”

“Of course I did.” The child replied, his sharp smile growing smug, “I am Loki too, am I not? Isn’t lying what we do? What you do?”

“What would you get out of lying to me about this?”

“I wanted you to suffer.” He told him bluntly, “Did it work?”

Loki said nothing, only glared at the ghost and tried to ignore the enraged screams of the other Loki.

The spectre cackled, “I will take that as a yes. I win again!”

“Shut up.” He hissed at the boy and marched forwards to stand before the Loki that was thrashing in his chains.

“Calm yourself.” He told him.

The other Loki stopped abruptly, breathing heavily. He blinked up at him for a moment before yanking on his chains again, “Who are you?! What curse have you placed upon me?!”

“None, save for my presence.” He replied.

“Why do you take my visage, Impostor?!” The other Loki demanded.

Loki rolled his eyes and sank down to sit on the ground, just out of arm’s reach. “I am Loki, just as you are Loki. I come to you from another universe with a purpose.”

The other Loki calmed down slightly as he sat before him. “What purpose would that be, exactly?” He asked, eying him warily.

“It is difficult to explain, but perhaps I can show you. I will warn you, however, that it would not be pleasant, because our lives are never pleasant. Do you still wish to know?”

The other Loki studied him pensively -- probably noting the stark differences between them and thinking that an impostor would be more precise in imitating him -- before squaring his jaw and nodding. “Yes, I do.”

Loki smiled wanly, “Brace yourself, then.” he advised.

He scooted closer to the chained prince, gently placed his fingers on the other’s temples, and poured centuries upon centuries of experiences -- his life, the life of the child he replaced and glimpses of other Lokis, throughout all of time and all the universes he knew of.

When it was over, the other Loki recoiled from his hands with a strangled gasp. His cheeks were wet with tears and his face was twisted in despair. 

“I am sorry.” Loki offered him sadly.

“I am a fool.” The other spat, trying to hold back sobs, “All this time I thought I was Aesir. I should have known that I was not, I have never fit their accursed mold.”

The prince took a deep, shuddering breath before looking up, “So we are always destined to be this way? To be the villain even when we meant to be the hero? Forever shunned from every realm, forever treated with disdain and suspicion?”

“Yes.” Loki said joylessly, “We are a story. A cautionary tale. One that apparently must always be repeated.”

The other brought his shackled hands up to cover his face and Loki let him grieve in silence for a few moments before asking, “Do you know what I mean to do?”

“I do.” The chained trickster sighed into his palms, “You are weary of the fate we were given. You regret all the hurt we have caused, especially to those we cared for. You wish there was a way we could have been allowed to live at least one happy life.” He raised his head, “You mean to end it. You mean to erase all the Lokis from every timeline and every universe.”

“Yes.” Loki confirmed grimly. “Do you agree with my decision?”

The prince raised his head to nod slowly, reluctantly, “I do.”

“Then you see why I need to be here, why I have invaded your mind.”

“Yes.”

“Do you wish control of your body returned? I could return it to you now that I know that you are still here.”

The other Loki’s head fell into his head again and he was silent for a long time, considering the question, until at last he raised his head again with a sigh, “No.”

Loki raised an eyebrow, “No?”

“If I were to return, I- I am not certain I could face my fami- my foster family,” He corrected, “Now that I know that they lied to me.”

He sighed again and straightened, “It also appears that you know far more than I do. You may stay in control.” He raised two fingers, “On two conditions.”

“Name them.”

“The first is that you unshackle me. I will not interfere but I will not be a prisoner in my own body.”

Loki nodded, “Fair enough. And the second?”

“When the time comes for you to cast the spell, I ask that you let me say my goodbyes.”

Loki smiled wistfully, remembering the time that he offered the same thing to the boy that now haunts him, “That, dear Loki, is something I would have offered you regardless.”

The other Loki mirrored his expression, “Good. Now get me out of these chains.”

 

 

* * *

 

Hela was...disquieted.

The moment Loki disappeared from their universe, she had felt it. She always knew when the boy -- who had unknowingly created her -- was doing something suspect. And this time, he had somehow removed himself from the timeline itself, meaning that he was not doing any time traveling, as he is sometimes wont to do. No, this was different. Similar to the time he had gone traipsing through the multiverse with a group of Midgardian adolescents.

It left her feeling uneasy. And a part of her -- the part of her that was still Leah, still the foolish girl that fell for an equally foolish trickster boy -- was mildly concerned for his safety and even more concerned about what sort of mess he was planning this time and whether or not it would affect her realm. Again.

So she turned to Tyr, her consort, a man that was strong and fiercely loyal. A man of honesty and honour. A man that was safe to love.

And incredibly boring. Nothing at all like her first love.

“Tyr.”

“Yes, my queen?” was his immediate reply. So very loyal.

“Please send one of the ladies to investigate Loki’s disappearance. Tell them to do it quietly.”

“Yes, my queen.”

“Thank you, beloved.”

**Author's Note:**

> I love Billy Kaplan so much and I love Kid!Loki and AOA Loki even more. If you have not already read the Young Avengers comics or Journey Into Mystery and Loki:Agent of Asgard, I highly recommend you do.
> 
> Any comments, critiques and questions are both welcome and appreciated :)


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